Outgoing Army Secretary Eric Fanning said this week that he does not believe the incoming Trump administration will attempt to undermine openly LGBT service in the military.

Fanning, the nation's first openly gay Army secretary, made his comments at the 2016 International LGBT Leaders Conference.

When a member of the audience asked Fanning his take as it relates to LGBT rights on the leaders President-elect Donald Trump has selected to head the military, Fanning answered that they seemed focuses on national security and budgetary issues, not LGBT issues.

“I sincerely believe, and based on the questions we’re getting from the transition team that’s coming in, they’re very much focused on the size and shape of the military, the budgetary political issues outside the Pentagon that they have to stabilize in order to give some planning stability for the military, and I think they’re going to dive head-long into those challenges around the world,” Fanning said.

“I've never had a conversation with any of them about these issues. I don't know what they're going to do.”

Fanning reiterated that reinstating Don't Ask, Don't Tell would be a difficult task.

“Having a conversation about whether someone can come into the military, whether someone really can serve is different than having them in and then saying you guys are out now, take off. When someone's in a uniform, no matter who it is, [senior uniform leadership] feel a responsibility for that person, and once the policy changes, the thinking about it changes,” Fanning said.

Fanning warned that “we have to be vigilant” about tweaks to the policy that could “create some friction,” especially in regard to the policy involving openly transgender service, which hasn't been fully implemented yet.